Pesticola, dare for more?

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi based NGO released it second report on the use of contaminated water by cola giants, Coke and Pepsi in India. In the last study by CSE even drinking water had the same contaminants.

If this is true, then we have successfully endangered at least one generation of the Indian population! In any case, the study does indicate the carelessness with which these organisations take us and our health for granted.

The consequences of intake of such harmful substances will be visible 10-15 years down the line. By then Pepsi and Coke would have summed up thousands of crores. The so-called responsible persons in society, the stars, didn’t think twice before endorsing such drinks despite the universal hazards.

I am sad that celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar and Amitabh Bachchan still promote such unhealthy substances. If they have any conscience, they should be the first ones to protest against this.

However, I do wonder why is ‘drinking’ water is never tested in India, as it is within the span of control (and responsibility) of our bureaucrats and politicians? We drink so much more of it than soft drinks, which are mostly out of reach for the average Indian? Why are Indian brands of ‘mineral’ water never tested? And what about milk and BEER???? Doesn’t it smell more of cheap xenophobia than pesticides?

The Euro Standard on quality of soft drinks should be made applicable in India. Why should any one have an objection to it? It should be made applicable immediately on all new products and the existing should be given a short time limit.

Pesticides in anything – colas, drinking water or food – needs to be tackled. After all, the stakes are really very high.

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9 Responses to “Pesticola, dare for more?”

[…] Jacob of the Great Indian Mutiny in his post titled, Pesticola, dare for more? writes, “However, I do wonder why is ‘drinking’ water is never tested in India, as it is within the span of control (and responsibility) of our bureaucrats and politicians? We drink so much more of it than soft drinks, which are mostly out of reach for the average Indian? Why are Indian brands of ‘mineral’ water never tested? And what about milk and BEER???? Doesn’t it smell more of cheap xenophobia than pesticides?” […]

Thanks anony. This is what I have been trying to say. There is some kind of sick false pride in Kerala.. “… look at us, we stood up to the Multinationalist, globalist evil companies”.

This isn’t just about Pepsi or Coke, this this about our water supply. It has pesticides, banning coke and pepsi will just give the public is misleading.. Is the Kerala government going to do anything about the others on the list?

Other than Himalaya and Evian, everything else has got pesticides in them.

CSE has consistently maintained that they are not targetting Coke and Pepsi, they are using them as examples of a larger malaise in the country. They have equally consistently tested substances/products across the board – including, as Anony mentions – bottled water. Let’s be honest, using the examples of Coke and Pepsi grabs our attention, and we can begin asking the tough questions as you have. How many of us know – or remember – the story of Plachimada?

That’s not quite true, Jacob. There was a people’s struggle at Kanjikode too (the Pepsi plant that you mention).

In fact, there will always be a overlap of political party agenda with people’s struggles when convenient – that can be both positive and negative, as we know in this country – but the latest news from Palakkad is that the people on the ground seem happy with the ban, whatever the ostensible rationale behind it.

I’m happy to put you in touch with activists on the ground that I personally have trust in, if you’d like to have another perspective on the whole sorry state of affairs. And yes, I think the story does need to begin ground water up, as you suggest. That I couldn’t agree with more.

well…if there is a problem with soft drinks den there is a problem with water too…because water is the main component…and even after this news there are a lot who drink pepsi or coke…so far nothin has happened to them…